Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, and you might not always be able to prevent relapses. Sticking to your treatment plan, managing stress, and eliminating substance use are all components of schizophrenia relapse prevention.
Schizophrenia is a lifelong mental health condition. As a type of psychotic disorder, it features symptoms of altered reality perception like hallucinations and delusions, as well as changes to your memory, concentration, and behavior.
With effective treatment and management strategies, your symptoms can improve, often to a point where they aren’t significantly affecting daily life.
Over time, however, factors like stress, substance use, and changes in your brain can cause symptoms to reappear or worsen even after they’ve been successfully managed for long periods. When this happens, it’s known as a schizophrenia relapse.
Relapses aren’t always possible to prevent, but you can take proactive steps to reduce how frequently you might experience symptom flare-ups.
How to create a schizophrenia relapse prevention plan
Schizophrenia relapse prevention is multifaceted, and it starts with seeking professional support. Under the guidance of a medical team, you can gain access to evidence-based treatments like prescription medications, social supports, behavioral interventions, and psychotherapy.
Once symptoms start to improve, the goal is to keep them managed and to prevent future relapses. Overall, a schizophrenia relapse prevention plan incorporates every aspect of ongoing schizophrenia care.
Your doctor will work with you to create an individualized plan for every day. They’ll consider your symptoms, general health, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
It’s OK to feel overwhelmed at first. It’s a lot to take in. Schizophrenia relapse prevention is overall schizophrenia management, and your healthcare team will be there to provide support while you incorporate changes into daily life.
How long does a schizophrenia relapse typically last?
How long a schizophrenia relapse lasts can be different for everyone. Your symptom severity, treatment effectiveness , and overall health can play a role.
Older review research from 2013 suggests symptom onset to full relapse typically occurs within a 1-month time frame. How long your symptoms remain active, or in the “acute” phase , will vary based on individual factors but can last anywhere from weeks to years.
Schizophrenia relapse prevention strategies
While managing schizophrenia as a whole is the biggest component of relapse prevention, schizophrenia management is made up of many different factors that can all affect relapse rate.
Learning more about schizophrenia and what it means for you
The more you know about schizophrenia , the more empowered you can feel about your care and the more aware you’ll be of relapse-related triggers and early warning signs of psychosis.
Knowing what to expect can also help reduce fear, stress, and anxiety, potential triggers of psychosis relapse.
It’s also important to learn more about the common stigmas about schizophrenia that you may have been exposed to or myths that can cause misunderstandings about the condition.
Managing stress and developing coping strategies
Stress is a possible trigger of psychosis for people living with schizophrenia. Developing long-term and in-the-moment stress management techniques can help reduce the effects of stress on your mind and your body.
If you do experience early schizophrenia symptoms, coping strategies like reality testing and grounding can help you maintain control over symptoms while you seek medical attention.
Eliminating substance use
The misuse of drugs and alcohol can increase your chance of schizophrenia relapse. Eliminating these substances from your lifestyle can help prolong periods of remission , where your symptoms are gone or significantly improved.
Sticking to treatment plans
Keeping up with schizophrenia treatment is essential to preventing relapse. This means taking your medications as directed and monitoring for side effects. Keeping a symptom journal may be helpful for this.
It also means staying on track with appointments and psychotherapy schedules — and not stopping treatment if you start to feel better.
Did you know?
While they’re often advertised as easy ways to improve your physical or mental health, it’s possible for vitamins or supplements to interfere with your schizophrenia medications.
Talk with your doctor if your diet or lifestyle includes:
- foods or drinks high in vitamin C
- vitamins or supplements
- “medicinal” teas
- fiber supplements
- activated charcoal supplements
Prioritizing healthy lifestyle habits
Focusing on healthy lifestyle habits, such as nutritional diets and quality sleep, can support the effectiveness of schizophrenia treatments and increase the chance of long-term symptom management.
In a 2021 study , researchers found lifestyle habits like low-nutrition diets, inactivity, and nicotine use were associated with greater schizophrenia symptom severity.
Find out more on how your diet may affect your schizophrenia symptoms .
Working with social supports
Feeling connected to others and having effective social support can stave off feelings of loneliness and depression that may affect your adherence to treatment and contribute to relapse.
Discover our picks for the best online schizophrenia support groups .
Creating an emergency action plan
Part of preventing a schizophrenia relapse is being able to recognize early warning signs of psychosis. These can be different for each person, but often include:
- growing, persistent feelings of unease or anxiety
- trouble concentrating
- inappropriate emotions or emotional intensity
- decreasing motivation
- unusual, persistent thoughts or beliefs
- social withdrawal
- decline in self-care
When you recognize early warning signs, your emergency action plan is there to guide you. This document, made with the input of your doctor, will clearly explain what to do if symptoms develop.
It will include information such as:
- known triggers from past experiences (stress, alcohol, isolation)
- personal early warning signs of psychosis
- emergency contacts for doctors, family, or close friends
- medical insurance information
- advanced directives for care, like power of attorney documentation
- your medications and their dosing instructions
- effective coping strategies you use
- the steps to take when you notice early warning signs of psychosis
- what to do in the event of an emergency (who to call, what medications to take, how to remain calm and cope)
Can friends and family members help?
Yes! If you love someone with schizophrenia and they want your help, you can be a valuable part of their support plans.
Talk with them about the best ways to support them, but if you need help getting the conversation started, you could offer to:
- give them a ride to appointments
- help organize medications and reminders
- deliver nutritious groceries or easy meals
- be an exercise buddy
- join them in self-care activities or shared hobbies
- just be a friendly ear when they need it
Check out these articles to learn more ways to support a loved one with schizophrenia or help them find professional help .
It’s important to respect their consent in these matters and only support them in the ways that they’ve asked for.
What causes or triggers schizophrenia relapses?
Schizophrenia relapses can occur for a variety of reasons, and not everyone will share the same triggers or underlying causes.
According to a large-scale study from 2024 , non-adherence to treatment, stress and depression, and substance misuse were the primary risk factors associated with schizophrenia relapse.
Other possible causes and triggers include:
- chronic stress or stressful life events
- substance use
- not sticking to treatment plans or medications
- difficulty sleeping
- social isolation
- co-occurring mental or physical health conditions
- disruptions to your regular routine
- progressive brain changes
- genetic and physiological influences
What is the schizophrenia relapse rate?
Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, and relapse is common.
Early research still cited in current literature suggests that almost 82% of people living with schizophrenia experience a relapse within the first 5 years of diagnosis.
Takeaway
Schizophrenia relapse prevention is a part of overall schizophrenia management and treatment.
By taking your medications as directed, keeping up with appointments, and sticking with psychotherapy, you’re already taking steps to prevent relapse.
Other factors that can help include eliminating substance use, focusing on healthy lifestyle habits, and working closely with social supports. If a schizophrenia relapse does happen, your emergency action plan is there to help you through.
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